- Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, some 2000km away from the east coast of Africa, with a surface area of just over 2000 km2. it is directly south of the Seychelles.
- It is located just north of the Tropic of Capricorn and enjoys a tropical climate all year round with mild winters and hot, wet summers influenced by the presence of cyclones. Read more about the climate in Mauritius.
- The official language is English but French is more widely spoken and the local dialect is creole, strongly influenced by the French language. This mixture of languages is due to the history of Mauritius, influenced by the French and then the British.
- The local currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR). You can find the current exchange rate using the converter on the right.
- Driving is on the left side of the road. International driving licences are accepted.
- The time is 4 hours ahead of GMT. There is no summer or winter time.
- Population is 1.3 million.
- Most tourists come for the famous sandy white beaches of the island, protected by coral reefs nearly throughout its circumference. Some top beaches around the island are Grand-Bay, Mont-Choisy and Pereybere in the north, Flic en Flac and Wolmar on the west coast and Belle Mare, Palmar and Blue Bay on the east coast.
- As well as beaches, Mauritius has some of the best hotels in the world to complement them, namely the Royal Palm in the north, Le Touesserok in the east and La Pirogue, a well-established hotel on the west coast.
- The power supply on the island is 220 V at 60 Hz.
- No smoking in all public places including restaurants.